At the end of a session, you’ll often see regulars slide a plastic card into the counting machine instead of carrying their balls to the prize counter. That’s a member card (会員カード), and the balls are being saved (貯玉, chodama). Here’s how the system works, what changed in 2024, and whether a visitor needs one.
The basics
| Term | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Member card | 会員カード | A hall or chain loyalty card linked to your registration |
| Saved balls / medals | 貯玉 / 貯メダル | Leftover balls or medals kept on your account instead of exchanged |
| Replay | 再プレイ | Playing with your saved balls on a later visit |
A hall-equipment company that supplies these systems describes the flow like this: deposit your balls or medals on your member card, then use them again later as “replay” (Mars Tohken, Japanese).
How to get a card
Requirements are set by each chain. As an example, MARUHAN’s FAQ says you register at the store’s service counter and show official ID such as a driver’s licence (MARUHAN FAQ, Japanese).
For visitors: we haven’t confirmed whether every chain accepts a foreign passport for membership. Ask at the counter (“Kaiin kādo o tsukuritai desu”, meaning “I’d like to make a member card”). See pachinko Japanese. TODO: confirm passport acceptance at the verified MARUHAN and Q-Bang! halls.
Why the card matters: leftover balls
Without a card, whatever’s left at the end of the day has to be exchanged for prizes, or it’s lost. Japan Travel describes this at MARUHAN Shinjuku: balls you don’t exchange the same day may be lost if you have no member card (Japan Travel, older article). Most visitors simply exchange everything for prizes before leaving (prizes explained).
No paper receipts, by law
Japan’s amusement business law, the Fueiho (風営法), bans halls from four things under Article 23. They can’t give cash or securities as prizes, can’t buy back prizes themselves, can’t let customers take balls or medals outside, and can’t issue a paper slip showing balls they’re holding for a customer. The aim is to stop such slips being traded like vouchers (FUEI JOURNAL, Japanese; full text on e-Gov). That’s why savings live on a card or in the hall’s system.
What changed in 2024: replay fees
For years, halls couldn’t charge a fee for replaying saved balls. PiDEA reports that an NPA notice in April 2012 had stopped such fees. On 2 September 2024, four hall associations issued guidelines allowing replay fees under conditions (PiDEA, Japanese):
- the fee must stay within the cost of running the system;
- halls must give at least three months’ notice before introducing it;
- fees can’t be advertised as a selling point.
PiDEA gives an example: replaying 125 saved balls might return 120 to play with, which is a 4% fee. That’s an illustration, not a standard rate. Each hall sets and posts its own terms.
What to do: if you save balls, read the hall’s posted rules or ask staff about replay limits, fees and expiry.
Other perks (varies by chain)
Some chains attach points, birthday perks or app features to member cards. We don’t list these yet, because they change often and differ by chain. Find out what each chain is in parlour chains explained.
Quick answers
Do I need a member card to play pachinko?
No. You can play without one. A member card lets you save leftover balls or medals at that hall for another day. Without one, you exchange or lose what's left when you finish.
How do I get a pachinko member card?
Usually at the hall's service counter. MARUHAN's FAQ, for example, says to register at the store's counter with official ID such as a driver's licence. Requirements differ by chain, so ask staff, and bring your passport if you're a visitor.
What is 貯玉 (chodama)?
Chodama means saving balls (or medals, 貯メダル) on a member card at the hall instead of exchanging them. You can later replay them (再プレイ) at the same hall or chain, subject to its rules.
Can I get a paper receipt for my saved balls?
No. Japan's amusement business law (Fueiho, Article 23) bans halls from issuing paper slips showing balls they're holding for a customer. Savings are kept on a card or in the hall's system instead.
Is it worth getting a member card as a tourist?
Usually not for a single visit. It mainly helps residents and repeat visitors to one hall or chain. If you're staying a while and keep returning to the same parlour, ask the counter what it offers.
Sources
- MARUHAN – FAQ (member registration at the service counter with ID; Japanese)
- Mars Tohken – stored balls (貯玉) and replay (再プレイ) system explained (Japanese)
- PiDEA – 2024 industry guidelines allowing replay fees (Japanese)
- FUEI JOURNAL – Fueiho Article 23 explained (ban on paper receipts for stored balls; Japanese)
- e-Gov – Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Business (Fueiho) full text (Japanese)
- Japan Travel – MARUHAN Shinjuku (leftover balls without a member card; older article)
Facts on this page were last checked against these sources on 4 October 2026. Rules, prices and venues change, so always follow the signs and staff at the venue.
